The Everett Herald is reporting that Matthew McDonald has pleaded guilty to four counts of vehicular homicide involving a drunk driving crash along Highway 9 last November. Two of the four victims were the son and daughter-in-law of former Kirkland Mayor Bill Woods. Thomas and Hilda Woods and Brad and Melissa Agerup were driving home from planning a birthday party when McDonald drove through a stop sign, hitting the victim’s car which then flipped onto an embankment along Highway 9. McDonald had been drinking beer with a friend for 12 hours prior to the fatal crash.
Deputy prosecutor Tobin Darrow wrote in charging documents that McDonald told a trooper he’d had too much to drink and wanted to make things right.
“He wanted to take responsibility, immediately,” Darrow said Wednesday. The plea agreement takes that into account. These also are his first felonies.
Still, Darrow said the case troubles him deeply.
“It is incredibly sad,” he said. “Five kids, parentless, in an instant.”
Under state sentencing guidelines, McDonald faces up to 8 1/2 years in prison, however, under a plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend he receive about 6 1/2 years behind bars.
Please read the entire story at the www.heraldnet.com
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